The Montreal Canadiens are the hottest team in the league and their next opponent is riding the NHL's longest losing streak. That doesn't bode well for the skidding Vancouver Canucks, who will look to avoid a sixth consecutive setback Wednesday night when they visit the Canadiens in the opener of a six-game road trip against Eastern Conference foes.

The City of Brotherly Love hasn't been kind to the Detroit Red Wings, who last enjoyed a regular-season victory in Philadelphia on Jan. 25, 1997. The Red Wings look to end their nearly 20-year drought against the Flyers and snap a modest two-game skid overall on Wednesday when the clubs meet at Wells Fargo Center.

The Pittsburgh Penguins start a stretch of three games over four nights in California when they visit the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday and could have a key player back in the lineup. Top-pair defenseman Kris Letang is closing in on a return after missing five games with an upper-body injury as the Penguins go for their fourth consecutive victory.